Woman on family cruise killed by shark as she snorkels in Bahamas

Victim was atatcked by bull shark off Rose Island while on a shore excursion

Underwater image of bull shark getting close up in the blue ocean of Bimini, The Bahamas (Getty Images)

A woman on a cruise with her family was killed by a shark after she went snorkelling in the Bahamas, according to authorities.

The victim, who was in her 50s and from Pennsylvania, was attacked by a bull shark off Rose Island on Tuesday afternoon, say officials.

She was on a day trip with her family and was in the water with a group of between five and seven people when the shark attacked, says ABC News.

Police say that the victim, who has not been publicly identified, was on a cruise to the region.

Royal Caribbean has confirmed that the woman was a guest on a seven-night Harmony of the Seas cruise that departed from Port Canaveral, Florida, on Sunday.

The company said that the victim was on an “independent shore excursion” in Nassau when attacked by a shark and died from her injuries at a local hospital.

“Royal Caribbean is providing support and assistance to the guest’s loved ones during this difficult time,” they said in a statement.